Occurrence Management Process in the ProvLab

1. New Tools and Approaches for Monitoring and Analyzing Internal and External Clinical Laboratory Performance Ilira Shtepani, Kit Johnson, Norman Neumann Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada IQLMC 2005, i.shtepani@provlab.ab.ca Occurrence Management Process in the ProvLab Context Process Category Selection Occurrence The Process of Occurrence Management scheme is an important quality assurance tool for the validation of analytical measurements and is fundamental as part of an overall quality strategy in specialized laboratories for public health diagnostic testing. Identified Use the diagram for All or specific Departments Remedial Action Performed Evaluation of Significance of Occurrence Performed Is Occurrence a Notify MOC Yes Class A Objective No Notify Appropriate Is More than one Supervisors Area Involved? Develop new approaches and real-time tools for monitoring and analyzing the Occurrence Management process in order to assess the laboratory performance at various organizational levels. Occurrence Management Form Initiated Is Immediate Is Occurrence Corrective Action Class B? Required? Methods Yes Yes No Corrective Action Occurrence Management Form Notify Program Leader/Manager Process Completed The process of Occurrence Management is reviewed along with its importance in planning, evaluation and improvement of laboratory performance. In addition to the process description, the interaction and coordination among programs is discussed. Based on occurrence management data, a new approach to processing, analyzing, monitoring and reporting the laboratory data using an in-house developed software is presented along with the advantages for quality management and overall efficiency in maintaining and tracking this quality indicator with less cost and turnaround time. Occurrence Management Form Reviewed Is Occurrence Notify MOC Reclassified to Class A? Occurrence Management Summary Prepared for Quality Report Assessment Process Conclusions Results The software links the process among all areas, automatically updates the current status of laboratory data with deadline reminders, and facilitates a quicker response to deficiencies with electronic notification for peer review. The software features additional statistical and graphical tools for data analysis and generation of custom-made reports. Rapid processing of Occurrence Management through automated reporting and updating facilitates quicker responses to occurrences, and is useful for real-time tracking of overall laboratory performance Automatic electronic notification to the responsible supervisors